Drying apparatus



lNov. 23, 1 943. J; H. A. s. McMQRDvl'l-z Erm. l 2,334,721*- DRYING APPARATUS s sheets-sheet 2 Filed Aug. 2, 1940 .NNN NNN QNN .QN @QN NNN NNN Nov. A23, 1943. J, H, A, s, McMoRDlE ErAL DRYING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 2, 1940 3 SheeKts- Sheet 3 ..0 77 Hf 8.@ we wwwa am H J Q 4 6 n D 3 6 Mason, E'.

l the line 5 of Fig. 2;

Patente Nov. 23, i943 Fries o parme APPARATUS., Y

.lames A. Stanley McMorde, Arlington, and Manson E. Wood, Wakeeld, Mass., assignors to Dewey and Chemical Company, North o Cambridge,

setts Mass., a corporation oi Massachulpplication August 2l, 191216, Serial No. 343,594

l5 Claims.

ously over the surface of a roll of the printing` machine to serve as a backing for the goods while construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of be- .ing practiced or carried out in' various ways.

Also it is to be understood that the phraseology` or. terminology employed herein lis for the purpose of description and not ,'ofllimitation, and

being printed and for removing excess color.,v

After leaving the printing machine the'blanket passes through washing apparatus to remove color. The blanket then passes through drying apparatus before returning tol the printing machine. l

It is an object of the present inventionl to provide an improved drying apparatus, and niore especially, a drying apparatus for a blanket used in rotary printing of textile or other goods.

Another object of the invention is the provision of improved means for guiding and feeding a driven endless blanket.

A further object of the invention is the provision of means for facilitating the removal and replacement of an endless blanket in an apparatus of the general character described in the above mentioned patent.

These and other ,objects of the invention will be more clearly understood 4from the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of a rotary textile printing assembly embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary elevational view of one end of the drying unit, partly in section Fig. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view of the other endl of the drying unit;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken upon the line t-t of Fig. 2; i

it is not intended to limit the invention claimed herein beyondgthe requirements of the prior art.' The invention is illustrated'in the accompany-- ing drawings as applied to an assembly for the rotary printing of textile or other goods which@ comprises a rotary printing machine l0 (Fig. 1), a wetting device Il, a drying unit D carried bya suitable frame structure |2 and a washing and wringing unit. i3. An endless washable blanket B is trained around va roll Hl 'carried by ashaft i 5 mounted for rotationiin the frame of the printing machine i6 and is trained over rolls i6, il, i8,

I9, 26 and 2| to a roll' 22 carriedl upon a shaft which' is mounted for rotation 'in the Washing and wringing unit i3. The blanket B then passesover a roll 23 and through the Vdrying unit D from which it passes over the rolls 2t, 25, 26, 2l, 28 and 29 to the roll it. Power is supplied in'any conventional manner to rolls It and 22 to move the conventional slip-drive .or synchronized drive so Fig. 5 is an enlarged'siectional view taken upon l Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional elevational view of the portion of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 'Z is a fragmentary'perspective view of one not limited in its application to the details Iof 65 'at their ends to their respective pairs ofz-bars .as to maintain tension on the blanket B as it enters the washing unit t3. y

A roll of textile or other goods T is mounted upon a rotatable carrier 3U. The web of textile material 'I' is trained around rolls 3|, 32, 33 and 34 and is passed around the roll I4 of the printingmachine simultaneously with the blanket B and is thenled away` from the printing machine for further treatment. f

The drying unit D is substantially U,shaped and comprises parallel chambersv40 and 4| positioned one above the other and connected by a chamber 42 (Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The chamber 4U is sup-.- ported by spaced parallel Z-irons 43 and 44 which are secured to spaced parallel upright portions v39 of the'main frame l2 (Fig. 6). 'Ihe chamber are closed by a plurality of panels 41 and 48 respectively which are held in p lace by T- irons which overlap the edges of adjacent panels and are secured by bolts 5| to spaced angle irons 52 extending transversely across the chambers 40 and 4|. The-T`irons 50 are secured engage slots 64 in the' Z-bars.

secured thereto.

03, 44, and 46. The sides of the chambers 40 and 4| are closed by longitudinal b eams 55 which are secured to the respective Z-bars 43, 44,55 and 46 by boltsY 51. The top of the chamber 40 i y and the bottom of the chamber 4| are closed by 63 and clamping nuts 65. The bolts 63 are pivotally secured near the ends of the T-bars 62 and Likewise, the adjacent edges of the panels 6| engage the aligned portionsv of T-bars 66, which extend transversely across the bottom of the chamber 4| and are secured to the Z-bars 45 and 46 by bolts 61 pivotally secured to the ends of the T- bars 66 and engage slots 68 in the Z-bars 45 and 46. The T-{bars 66 are tightened in place by clamping nuts 69 (Figs. 5-and 6). The adjacent edges of the panels 60 and 6| are forced against the aligned portions of the T-bars 62 and 66 respectively by adjustable and detachable power devices or jacks 10. Each jack comprises oppositely threaded screw shafts 1| and 12, which engage a nut 11. U-shaped heads 13 and 13' are xed to theshafts 1| and 12, respectively. The heads 13 and 13 straddle the T-bars 62 and 66 respectively and engage angle irons 15 which are xed upon the adjacent edges of the panels 60 and, 6|. Preferably, gaskets 18 are interposed between the aligned portions of the T-bars |52o and 66 and the adjacent edges of the panels 60 and 6|. 'I'he ends of the chambers 40 and 4| through which the blanket enters and leaves respectively are closed on one side of the blanket B by angle irons 98 which are secured to spaced upright portions 200' of the main frame |2. A felt strip 20| is cemented to a metal strip 202 which is adjustably mounted upon each of the'angle irons 98 by bolts 203 engaging the angle irons 98 and passing through slots 204 in the strips 202 so that the edges of the felt strips may be brought in desired relation to the surfaces of the blanket B. The ends ofthe chambers 40 and 4| through which the blanket enters and leaves are closed on the other side of the blanket by a strip of felt 2|0 cemented to an angle iron 205. The ends of the angle irons 205 are secured to ybrackets 206 which are adjustably mounted upon plates 201 by screws 208 passing through slots 2,09 in the brackets 206 and engaging the plates 201. The plates 201 are secured tothe Z-bars 43, 44, and 46.`

Theouter wall ofthe chamber 42 comprises channels 80 and 8| (Fig. 6), which form an extension of the outer walls of the chambers 40 and 4|, and extend btween and are secured to the spaced parallel upright portions 39 of the main frame I2. .A plate 82 extends between the uprights 39 and the channels 60 and 8| and is The inner wall of the chamber 42 is closed "by the mounting M for the roll 83.

The roll 83 serves to convey the blanket B from the` chamber 40 through the chamber 42 and into the chamber 4 The roll 83 is xed upon a shaft which is mounted for rotation in bearings 85 carried by the parallel portions 86 of a U-shaped plate 84 (Figs. 3 and 6). The portion 81 .of the plate 84 forms the inner wall of the chamber 42. The plate 84 is provided at each end with a handle 88 which may be gripped to move the roll 83 from its operative position as shown at the right in Figs. l and 6 to the dotted line position shown in Fig. 21for the purpose of facilitating the removal and replacement of the blanket B. For this purpose, a pair of rolls 90 are mounted near the bottom of each of the plate portions 06 so as to' engage tracks 9| fixed upon the Z-bars 43 and 4,0 (Figs. 4 and 5). Rolls 92 .are mounted near the top of the plate portions 86 so as to engage the IZa-bars 45 and 46,. An angle plate 93 (Fig. 6) is fixed upon each of the plate portions 86 near its outer edges and is secured by bolts to an angle plate 96 xed to the upright frame members 39. The plates 93 and 96 are provided with centering openings 89 which may be brought into alignment by a dowel pin 91 for the purpose of assuring that the roll 83 is properly positioned in its operative location.V

Warm air is conveyed from a heater H (Fig. 1) through an inlet passage |00 (Figs. 1 and 4) connecting with the chamber 4|. After passing through the chambers 4|, 42 and 40 the air is returned to the heater through a passage |0I. Each of the chambers40 and 4| is provided with means for producing turbulence of the air and assure that the warm air is brought in intimate contact with the blanket B. Thus, rods |02 and |03 (Figs. 6 and 7) are secured at their opposite ends to spaced parallel angle plates |04 which are supported upon the beams 55 at opposite sides of the chambers 40 and 4|. The adjacent rods |02 and |03 are twisted in opposite directions and are assembled, preferably, in units of ve rods. The rods of each unit are spaced longitudinally of the chambers 40 and 4| and are spaced vertically dilerent distances from the blanket -B .and lie in five parallel planes which divide the space between the blanket and the opposite walls of the chambers into six substantially equal portions. Semi-cylindrical rods 36 are carried by brackets 8 which are secured to the T-bars 50, the rods 36 being arranged in the chambers 40 and 4| closer to the blanket B than the rods |02 and |03 to assure that the blanket does not contact with the rods |02 and 03.

The idler roll 25 and slack take-up roll 26 are positioned, between the rolls 24 and 21 so as to provide a; slack take-up loop L in the blanket B. `The roll 25 is mounted in bearings upon spaced parallel upright portions |05 (Fig. 2) of the main frame I2. The roll 26 is xed upon a shaft |06 mountedV for rotation in spaced bearings |01 which are slidably movable upon spaced guide rails |08 fixed upon spacing plates |09 carried by the Z -bars 45 and 46. The outer edgev of each of the guide rails |08 is providdwith graduations G for a purpose described-hereinafter. A pair of resilient tension devices one connected to each of the bearings |01, tends to move the bearings to take up slack in the loop L. A safety stop ||0 is provided to limit movement of the bearings |01"in the opposite direction in case of accident, such as breakage of the tension ,devices A shaft ||2 (Figs. 2, 5 and 9.) is mounted for rotation in bearings carried byigspvaced plates H3 which are secured to and extend upwardly from the Z-bars 45 and 46. Each of the plates H3 is reenforced by an angle iron |I4. A drum is fixed upon the shaft -II2 just outside'of each plate I I3. A ratchet wheel I I6 is xed upon the shaft ||2 just inside of each of the plates |I3 and each cooperates with pawl I |1 which is xed upon a shaft 6 which is mounted for rotation in the plates I|3. A collar II8 is ied upon the shaft ||2 near one end thereof and is provided with a radial hole I I9 adapted to receive a rod 31 (Fig. 9) by which the shaft may be turned. Each drum I I5 is directly connectedto one of the spaced bearings |01 by one of the tensioning devices III. Each tensioning device comprises a cable |20 connected at one end to the drum ||5 and at its other end to a bolt |2| which extends across and is secured tothe open ends of'a' U- shaped member |22. A U-shaped member |23 is s lidably ttedin the member- |22 so as to provide a chamber .in which a coil spring |24 is housed. A turn buckle |25 connects the open ends of each one of the U-shaped members |23 with one of the movable bearings |01.

Before the apparatus is set in operation, the tension devices are adjusted by turning the shaft |I2 until all slack in the loop L is taken up and the desired tension is placed upon the blanket B. If necessaryone or both of the turn buckles |25 may be adjusted to bring the bearings |01 opposite corresponding graduations G on the rails |08 thereby assuring that the axis of the roll 2,6 is perpendicular to the direction of movement of the blanket B. Power is then supplied through the chain C to rotate the drum I4 of the printing machine. This causes the endless blanket B to move progressively through the printing machine I0, the wetting device I, the washing and wringiing device I3, and the drying unit D. At the same time, hot air from the heater H is forced through the passage |00 into the chamber 4| and thence through thel chambers 42 and 40 and then is returned through the passage |0| to the heater H. As the air passes through the chambers 40 and 4| in a direction opposite tothe movementv of the blanket, it comes in contact successively with the adjacent rods |02 and |03 which are twisted in opposite directions and cause turbulence with minimum air resistance by defiecting suring elcient drying of the blanket. Inasmuch as the pressure of the air stream iiowing through the drying unit is less at the outlet than at the inlet. and since the depressions 58 in the panels 6| connect directly with the outlet passage |0I, the pressure upon the side of the blanket B adjacent the depressions 58 is less than that upon the other side of the blanket. This difference in: pressure tends to maintain the blanket out of engagement with the twisted rods |02 and |03.

As the machine is started in operation,'the springs |24 of the tension devices |||I yield to permit the bearings |01, which support the roll 26, to move toward the stop IIO. Thus, the tension devices act as shock absorbers relieving the initial strain upon the blanket due to starting. After the blanket B has reached a uniform speed of movement, the tension devices tends to move the' bearings |01 away-from the stop 0 v jacks 10.

`the air to the right and to 'the left as well'as' t toward and away from the blanket thereby enboltsil and clamping nuts 69.

.with the present invention the time required for performing this operation is greatly reduced by the` provision of means .for moving the roll 83 from its operative position as shown in Fig. 6 to inoperative position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. If it is desired to remove the blanket, the jacks 10 are released and removed so as to permit the panels 60 and 6| to be removed.. The T- bars 62 and 66 then are removed by loosening the clamping nuts 69 and then pivoting the -bolts 61 to remove the latter from the slots 68. The bolts then are removed and the operators may grip the handles 88 and move the mounting 84 for the roll 83 along the rails 9| to bring the roll 83 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2. When in this position the roll 83 may be readily removed from the -apparatus and thus facilitate the removal oLthe blanket.

When it is desired to replace the blanket the blanket is trained over the rolls 22 and I4 as well as the rolls I1, I8, I9, 20, 2|, 25, 26, 21, 28 and 29. The roll 83 together with its mounting 84 is placed upon the rails 9| with the blanket between the same and the drying unit. The mounting 84 is then moved from the dotted line position shown in Fig.A 2 to substantially the operative position shown in Fig. 6, thus positioning portions of the blanket B within the chambers 40 and 4|. The mounting 84 is centered accuratelyfby inserting the dowel pin 91 in the openings 89 in the plates v93 and 96. The plate 93 then is secured to the plate 96 by the bolts 95. The T-bars 62 and 66 are then replaced andsecured inV position by The panels 60 and 6| then are successively placed in position and forced against the aligned portions of the T-bars 62 and 66 by inserting and adjusting the While the invention ha's been described and illustrated as applied to apparatus for removing liquid from an endless washable blanket, it will be understood that the invention is applicable broadly to heat interchange apparatus of various types, such as for drying, heating or cooling a material.

Wetlaim: v

1. In a heat interchange apparatus, a chamber, means for guiding a material through the chamber, a plurality of twisted rods .extending across the chamber perpendicular to the direc-v v tion of movement of said material and spaced from said material, and means for causing a gas to flow through the chamber past said rods and in contact-with said material.

- 2. In a heat vinterchange apparatus, a chamber, means for guiding a material throughthe chamber, a plurality of twisted rods extending across the chamber perpendicular to the direction of movement of Asaid material and spaced from saidmaterial, the ladjacent rods being twisted in opposite directions, and means for. causing a gas iiow through the chamber past lsaid rods Aand in contact with said material.

3. In a heat interchange apparatus, a cham-- ber, means for guiding a materiabthrough the chamber, a plurality .of twisted rods extending across'the `'chamber perpendicular to the direction of movement of said material, said rods being arranged in' units each containing a plurality of rods, the rods lof each unit being spaced longitudinally of the chamberand arranged lin the space between said material and the walll of the chamber opposite theretoso as tolie in planes dividing said space into substantially equal portions, the adjacent rods being twisted in opposite directions, and means for causing a gas to ow through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said material.

4. In an apparatus for removing liquid from a material, a drying chamber, means for guiding the material through the chamber, a plurality of twisted rods extending across the chamber perpendicular to the ldirection of movement of said material, and means for causing a gas to ilow through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said material, said rods beingspaced from said. material different distances.

5. Apparatus forV drying a travelling web including a chamber through which the web passes, means for guiding the web through the chamber, a plurality of. twisted rods extending across the chamber perpendicular to the direction of movement of the web and spacedv from the latter, and means for causing afgas to flow through the chamber past said rods and in contact with the web, said rods being spaced from said web diierent distances.

6. Apparatus for drying a travelling blanket comprising a chamber through which the blanket passes, means for moving they blanket through the chamber, a plurality of twisted -rods extending across the chamber perpendicular to the direction of movement of the blanket, mearis for maintaining the blanket out of contact with said rods, and means for causing a gas to flow through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said blanket.

'7. Apparatus for drying a travelling endless blanket including a chamber through which the blanket passes, means for moving the blanket bers in series, means for circulating a drying gas through the chambers in contact with the blanket "therein, detachable cross members extending through the chamber, a plurality of twisted rods f extending across the chamber perpendicular to the direction of movement of theblanket, means for maintaining the blanket out of contact with said rods, the adjacent rods being twisted in opposite directions and spaced from said blanket diierent distances, and means for'causing a gas to flow through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said blanket.

` 8. Apparatus for drying a moving blanket comprising a pair of chambers one positioned over' the other,` removable means for closing the adjacent.` opposite portions of said chambers, means for circulating a drying gas through the chambers in contact with the blanket supportedtherein, guiding means including a roll for guidingthe blanket out of one of said chambers and into the other, means for detachably securing said roll in its operative position, near one end of said chambers, and a trackway extending longitudinally of and between the chambers to guide said roll from one end of the chambers to the opposite end thereof whereby a blanket may be threaded through the apparatus.

' 9. Apparatus for drying a moving blanket comlprising a pair of chambers one positioned over the other, detachable panels for closing each of the adjacent opposite portions of said chambers, means for guiding a blanket .through said chambers in series, means for circulating a drying gas through the chambers in contact with the blanket therein, and a plurality of adjustable and detachable pressure means extending between said opposite portions and eachoverlapping at each end the edges of a pair of said detachable panels.

10. Apparatus for drying a travelling blanket comprising a pair of chambers one positioned over the other, detachable panels for closing each of the adjacent opposite portions of said chambers, means for guiding a blanket through said chamacross each of said opposite portions and overlap-A ping the adjacent edges of said panels, and a plurality of adjustable and detachable pressure 'the other, detachable panels for closing each of the adjacent opposite portions of said chambers, means for circulating a drying gas through the chambers in contact with the blanket'I supported therein, a plurality of adjustable and detachable pressure means extending between 'said opposite portions and each overlapping at each end 'the edges of a pair of said detachable panels, guiding means including a roll for guiding the blanket out of one of said chambers and into the other. meanslfor detachably securing said roll in its operative position near one end of said chamber. and a trackway extending longitudinally of and between the chambers to guide said roll from one end oi' the chambers to the opposite end thereof whereby a blanket may be threaded through the apparatus.

12. Apparatus for drying a moving blanket comprising a pair of drying chambers one positioned over the other, detachable panels for closing each of the adjacent opposite portions of said chambers, means for circulating a drying gas through the chambersin contact with the blanket supported therein, detachable cross members extending across each of said opposite portions and overlapping the adjacent edges of said panels. a

' plurality of adjustable and detachable pressure vcross members, guiding means including a roll for guiding the blanket out of one of said chambers and into the other, means for detachably securing said roll in its operative position near one end ,of said chambers, and a, trackway ex'- tending longitudinally of and between the chambers/to guide said roll from one end of the chambers to the opposite end thereof whereby a blanket may be threaded through the apparatus.

13. Apparatus for drying a travelling blanket including a chamber through which the blanket passes, a plurality of twisted rods extending across the chamber perpendicular to the directionv of movement o f the blanket, means for maintaining the blanket out of contact with said rods, and means for causing a gas to move through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said blanket, means for guiding the blanket longitudinally through the apparatus including a slack take-up roll, movable bearings for rotatably supporting said roll, and resilient means acting upon said bearings to move the same to take up slack in said blanket.

14. Apparatus for drying a. travelling web comprising a pair of chambers one positioned over the other, a plurality of twisted rods extending across the chambers perpendicular to the direction of movement of the web, removable means for closing the adjacent opposite portions of said chambers, means for maintaining the web out of contact with said rods, and means for causing a gas to move through the chamber past said rods and in contact with said web, means ,for guiding the web longitudinally through theapparatus including a slack take-up roll, movable bearings for rotatably supporting said roll, resilient means aoting upon said bearings to move the same to take up slack in said web, said guide means also including a guide roll for guiding the web out of one of said chambers and into the other, means for detachably securing said guide roll in its operadrying gas into and from said chambers, removable means for closing the adjacent opposite p0rtions of said chambers, web guiding means including a roll adjacent one end of the chambers for guiding the web out of one of said chambers and into the other, means for detachably securing the roll -in its operative position, and means for supporting and guiding said roll for movement betweensaid chambers from its operative position into a position adjacent the other end of the chambers, whereby the web may be easily threaded through said chambers.

JAMES H. A. STANLEY McMORDIE.

MANSON E. WOOD. 

